Rick Riordan and Katherine Rundell Explore the Middle School Reading Crisis

The Book Case

ABC News

Fiction, Arts, Society & Culture, Books

4.7 • 913 Ratings

🗓️ 23 October 2025

⏱️ 37 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

We knew that reading levels were in fluctuation, but we had no idea there was a Middle School reading crisis. According to the NWEA (The Northwest Evaluation Association which measures academic and student standards) only 30% of 8th graders are reading at grade level or above. Why? How did we get here and how do we get back on track raising great readers who love literature? We are joined by Miah Daughtery, VP of Academic Advocacy at HMH, NWEA’s parent company, to talk about their policy recommendations. We also talk to Rick Riordan and Katherine Rundell, two of the bestselling MS writers in the world about how to write for Middle Schoolers and why they think this audience needs attention. Join us for this important discussion (which expands on our GMA piece that aired on October 10th). Find books mentioned on The Book Case: https://www.goodmorningamerica.com/shop/story/book-case-podcast-reading-list-118433302 Books mentioned in this week's episode: The Court of the Dead by Rick Riordan and Mark OshiroPercy Jackson & The Olympians: The Lightning Thief by Rick RiordanImpossible Creatures by Katherine RundellThe Poisoned King by Katherine Rundell Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Transcript

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0:00.0	I'm John Quignores.
0:02.0	Vanessa Guillen, a 20-year-old soldier,
0:05.0	vanishes while on duty at an Army base in Texas.
0:09.0	Her family demands answers.
0:12.0	How can she go missing on a military base?
0:14.0	That's too ridiculous.
0:16.0	The search goes on for months.
0:19.0	Where is Vanessa? And a dark story starts to unfold.
0:25.6	She told her family that she was being sexually harassed
0:29.6	and wasn't reporting it out of fear of retribution and retaliation.
0:34.6	What investigators finally uncover is horrifying.
0:40.0	Find out how one soldier, a beloved sister and daughter, ignited a movement and sparked
0:46.5	a reckoning in the U.S. military.
0:50.0	Listen to Vanished.
0:51.7	What happened to Vanessa?
0:53.6	A new series from ABC Audio in 2020. Listen now Vanished. What Happened to Vanessa? A new series from ABC Audio in 2020.
0:57.0	Listen now wherever you get your podcasts.
1:08.7	Okay, book lovers, it's good to have you with us. I refuse to use the term book nerds.
1:13.6	Like my daughter Catherine does, I think that is demeaning, but I'll let her apologize.
1:19.4	I'm Charlie Gibson of the bookcase with Kate and Charlie.
1:22.1	I apologize for nothing. I am a proud book nerd. I think everybody around should be a book nerd. It's an important
1:29.2	moniker, and I'm sticking with it. I don't care how much you protest. I don't feel it is pejorative.
	...

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